New app to help find GPs

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HOLIDAYS in a strange town with a sick child can be a nightmare but a new website and smartphone app show people how to find their nearest GP or after-hours pharmacy.

Federal Health Minister Tanya Plibersek has launched a $4.9 million internet directory that shows the addresses, opening times and phone numbers of GP clinics, pharmacies, emergency departments and hospitals in towns and cities across Australia.

Ms Plibersek said the National Health Services Directory (www.nhsd.com.au) was a free service developed to provide patients accurate information about local health services wherever they were at the time.

"Every parent knows that a trip to the doctor or the emergency department is much more difficult when you're not familiar with the area or need to find help in the evening," Ms Plibersek said.

"This new internet directory is easy to use and will save people, who need fast access to medical care, an enormous amount of time and trouble."

Patients can search the directory using a computer or by downloading the app on to an iPhone or Android device.

Once a location is entered into the directory, services are listed and their locations can be viewed on a Google map.

Ms Plibersek said the directory contained about 14,000 service records, with information included on whether they bulk billed.